Hand plaiting attachment.



L. M. KING. HAND PLAITING ATTAGHMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 13,1910. v

Patented Mar. 14,1911.

l lliwsses PITIRQCO', WASHINGTON, A c.

f MM

LAURA MAUDE KING, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

HAND PLAITING ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

Application filed May 13, 1910. Serial No. 561,254.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAURA MAUDE KING, a subjectof the King of Great Britain, residing at 37 Euclid avenue, in the clty of Toronto, county of York, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Hand Plalting Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device of the class described designed to be attached to any sewing machine so that various kinds of plaiting may be hand formed wlth the aid thereof, and accurately measured or spaced, which plaits are then sewn by the sewing machine, it not being necessary to disengage the cloth from the machine or raise the foot or needle, and the preferred construction of my device will be hereinafter particularly set forth, and the parts claim as new will be pointed out in the claims forming part of this specification.

Figure l is a perspective view of my plaiting attachment. Fig. 2 is a plan View of my device showing the same attached to the foot of the sewing machine, the pressure bar and needle bar being shown in section. Thisfigure shows a piece of cloth underneath the device with plaits formed therein. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of my device, showing the manner in which the plaits are formed, and Fig. 4C is a perspecing ear B, at

two view of the plaiting knife used for facilitating the manipulation of the material to be plaited.

In the drawings, like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

I have shown my device constructed of a frame A preferably stamped out of sheet metal, integrally provided with an attachone end thereof. The attachlng ear B is provided with a slot C, and through this slot passes the usual screw D by means of which the frame A is attached to the presser foot E carried by the pressure bar F. Integrally formed with the frame A is an ear G, and also integrally formed with the said frame is an ear H. These ears are in alinement, and operating through a hole formed in each one thereof is a gage bar I.

J is an offset portion integrally formed with the ear H, and screwing through this is a set screw K which is designed to be jammed against the gage bar I so as to hold the same in its adjustedposition.

The frame is preferably formed open as shown, and is provided with a plurality of bars 1, 2, 3, and A which, for convenience, are supposed to be one-half of an inch apart. The frame A is positioned in respect to the presser foot E so that the bar l-thereof, will be above, and to one side, of the point 5 on the bottom of the presser foot E just where the toes of the said foot leave the cloth.

To illustrate one use of my invention, I will suppose that it is desired to make plaiting having a depth effect say of three and one-half inches, with a space between the plaits of one and one-half inches. The gage bar I is provided with a scale divided into inches and one-half inches (or any other sub-division) indicated by the short lines 7 and 8. To get the desired depth effect, the gage bar I will be positioned as shown in Fig. 2 so that its end 9 projects two inches beyond the bar 1. The end 9 is then grasped between the finger and thumb and the goods underneath the same held against this end, and by means of a plaiting knife 10 (see Fig. 3) the goods is shoved underneath as far as the bar 1, the plaiting knife being stopped at the point 5. The plaiting knife is then withdrawn while the plait is held in position by the hands and the needle bar 0 operates the needle a to sew the goods. The operator will stop the machine so soon as the end 11 of the plait 12 moves underneath the bar 1. A plait 13 having been previously formed, the end 14 thereof was moved until it came underneath the bar 45, previous to the operation just described of forming the plait 12. Now the distance between the bars 1 and 4 is equivalent to one and one-half inches, and it will be understood that by reason of the frame A the accurate spacing or distance between the plaits can be readily measured off by this device. As the goods is always underneath the device, the same is always in sight. Should it be desired to have a depth effect of two inches with a space of one-half of an inch between the plaits, it will be understood that the end 14 of the first plait 13, as this plait is passed underneath the frame A, will be held underneath the bar 2 when it reaches this point, and then the next plait formed as described.

spacing, the frame A of course will not be used to perform the function already set forth. Should it be desired to form, in double plaiting,-a:plait of the depth of oneialf of an inch, the end 9 will be positioned one inch in front of the bar 1, and then the plaiting knifewill' be" used, together with the fingers of the left hand, to form the'plait so that its end will be underneath the end V 9. The machine will then be operated, and

when the end of the last-formed plait moves underneath the bar 1, the machine is stopped, and succeeding plaits are formed and sewn as described.

By one skilled in this art it will be understood that reverse plaiting can be made as well as any. other kind of plaiting.

I preferably use the plaiting knife 10, or an equivalent device, in forming narrow plaiting, because as the lower end 17 thereof is provided with teeth, the goods is easily manipulated. -When I form deep plaits, I

generally use the plaiting knife 10 in the position shownin Fig. 2. I

The gage bar I can be turned in its bear- V ings so that the end 9thereof can be moved out of the way if, it is not desired to operate the device with it in the position shown in drawings.

The. point 5 of therfoot E is the starting po nt, I may say, from which the diiferent distances are measured off toward the operator to obtain the desired depth of plait. It therefore follows'that the point 5 is also the starting point for measurements taken inward, or away from the operator, in measuring distances between the plaits. The point 5'is of course where the bottom oft-he presser foot E and the'feeding dog 20,meet at their front portions when there is no material in the machine. As the. foot E is not raised up when forming plaits, with the aid of my attachment, it .will be understood that the point 5 will be a constant base or. starting point for measurement.

While I have described what I consider to be the best embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that the principles can be embodied in different forms, and I desire not to be limited beyond the requirements of the prior art and the terms of my claims.

' What I claim as my inventiOn i 1. A hand plaiting attachment for sewing machines comprising a rectangular spac-' ing frame formed of a series of spaced bars connected together at their ends by end members and disposed at right angles with respect to the presser foot of a machine, means carried by one of the end members of said frame for coupling it to the presser foot, a vertically-disposed apertured ear projecting from each outer bar of said series of bars and arranged between the transverse center of said frame and said means, an adjustable gage member 7 extending through said ears and transversely. of the frame and of such a length as to project from each side of the frame, and means carried by one of said ears for fixing said gage bar in its adjusted position, said gage bar provided with graduations and an angular end and said ears maintaining said gage bar in a plane above said frame.

2. A hand plaiting attachment for sewing machines comprising a rectangular spacing frame formed of a series of spaced bars conl nected together at their ends by end members and disposed at right angles with respect to the presser foot of a sewing machine, a vertically-disposed attaching ear carried by one of the endmembers of the spacing frame for coupling the latter to the presser foot, a vertically-disposed apert'ured ear projecting from each outer bar of said series of bars, an adjustable gage bar extending through said ears and transversely of said frame, one of said apertured ears having an angularly-disposed upper port-ion,and means carried by said portion for fixing said gage bar in its adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LAURA MAUDE KING.

Witnesses:

WM. S. JORDAN,

- RITA HALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for

Washington, D. G. 

